Lightbulb babies and fairytale castles: Your Christmas traditions

By Sarah Brown and Eoghan Macguire, CNN

Updated 5:36 AM ET, Mon December 24, 2012

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Photos:Christmas where you live

Christmas cottages – Angeline Hwang took this picture of model cottages at a Christmas market in the German town of Hanau, the birthplace of the Brothers Grimm. German Christmas markets can have many themes, she said, and pop-up throughout the country during the festive months.

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Photos:Christmas where you live

Baby lights – Jen Best from Liberty, Missouri, snapped this adorable picture of her six-month-old nephew, Grayson, playing with fairy lights after seeing the idea on content sharing platform Pinterest. "(Grayson) absolutely loved the lights," she said. "When we finished, my brother picked him up, and he held a light tightly in each hand and wouldn't let go."

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Christmas makeover – Each year the beautiful neoclassical Placio Nacional building in Santo Domingo is given a Christmas makeover. This photo of the presidential palace was taken by Misael Rincon, a 31-year-old TV producer from the Dominican Republic.

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Photos:Christmas where you live

A holy Christmas – This photo of a couple of priests walking through the Christian Quarter in Jerusalem was taken by James Cheatham, who has lived and worked on and off in the city since 2002.

"When I was walking through the Christian Quarter, several of the shops had Christmas music playing such as Bing Crosby (White Christmas), Nat King Cole (Chestnuts Roasting On An Open Fire), and O Holy Night, amongst others which really added to the atmosphere," said the native Californian.

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Photos:Christmas where you live

Seoulful celebrations – Thai Dang took this sparkling image of the Christmas light display that brightens up the facade of the Lotte Hotel in downtown Seoul, Korea, every festive season.

"I took a bunch of photos but this was my favorite," she said. "I liked how the trees stand out from the purple screen board behind ... It is dreamy and fantasy-like."

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Photos:Christmas where you live

Czech Christmas – Mary Legg shot this image of the elaborate Christmas decorations in the Old Town area of her adopted home city, Prague. "All kinds of scrumptious fast foods are to be had from freshly roasted meat over open spits to mulled wine and the ever great Czech beer," she said.

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Photos:Christmas where you live

Lobster-cage tree – "This was the most unusual tree I had ever seen," said iReporter, Marie Sager, who shot this impressive image of creative festive decorations in Provincetown, Massachusetts. "It was built with lobster cages, decorated with plastic ... seashells and topped with nautical items. Perfect for a town by the sea."

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Photos:Christmas where you live

Christmas in Shanghai – Dutch iReporter Irene Reijs, captured this image of a man delivering Christmas decorations by bike in her adopted home of Shanghai, China. "Christmas is not a Chinese tradition, but much of our decorations are made in China," she said.

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Photos:Christmas where you live

Filipino ingenuity – Kim Tinambacan captured this cool image of a Christmas tree entirely made from recycled materials -- such as plastic, Styrofoam and foils -- in Santa Rosa, the Philippines. "I decided to take this kind of photo because it really symbolizes the true meaning of Christmas ingenuity here in the Philippines," she said.

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Photos:Christmas where you live

A carol in Tonga – Natalie Montanaro captured this moment of a happy family attending a carol performance in the Pacific island of Tonga. "Although we are showered with tropical sunshine, shaded by coconut palms and quenched by the cool blue of the South Pacific, it's already 'beginning to look (and feel!) a lot like Christmas," she said.

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Photos:Christmas where you live

Truck parade – In the Floridian coastal town of Sebastian, "people decorate cars and boats to show their spirit of Christmas" before parading them through town, said Billy Ocker. "Old cars, boats, bikes, tow-trucks, fire trucks and floats," are a common sight. "Anything that has wheels would be allowed," he added.

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Festive parol – iReporter Christian Bordo captured this image of a parol -- a star shaped lantern made out of bamboo and paper, traditional to Filipino Christmas celebrations.

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Photos:Christmas where you live

Santa convention – Greg Reese photographed these costumed attendees of Santacon 2012 in Cincinnati, Ohio. "It's an annual event where they dress up like Santa and other holiday icons and walk around the city giving candy and [going on] pub crawls," he said.

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Photos:Christmas where you live

A festive Indian parade – Gregory Lalith took this image of festive revellers at the annual Christmas carnival in his hometown of Hyderabad, India.

Trucks, cars and all manner vehicles are transformed into festively themed parade floats for the event, before setting off along the city's main thoroughfares and neighborhoods, he said.

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Photos:Christmas where you live

A Colombian snowman – Sarah Tatham is a Canadian living in Barranquilla, Colombia. This picture of a cardboard snowman reflects her longing for home during Christmas. "I love living in the tropics, but at this time of year I really miss seeing the lights and snow, and seeing the hustle and bustle as people buy their gifts," she said.

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Photos:Christmas where you live

A Hollywood tale – Donna Clare captured this fun shot of a giant inflatable Elmo -- of the popular children's TV show, Sesame Street -- floating high above the Hollywood Christmas Parade. "The event, as expected was a Hollywood affair, complete with lots of red carpet and lots of celebrities," she said. "[It] felt like a movie premiere more so than a parade."

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Photos:Christmas where you live

Away from home – This Christmas, Peter Harrits traded his native winter white Wisconsin for the hot and humid Borneo, Malaysia, where he is currently on assignment. He took this photo of the annual Christmas carnival in Kota Kinabalu. "To me, the carnival is a perfect example of the diversity that makes Malaysia such a fascinating place to explore," he said.

"It is kind of surreal to be standing there sweating in the tropical heat of Borneo surrounded by Christmas lights and carols and statues of wise men and camels as a blizzard of faux-snow swirls past the palm trees around you," he added.

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Photos:Christmas where you live

Christmas castle – Prolific iReporter Tracy Bymoen photographed a German Christmas market in Heidelberg, Germany. She says the market's fairytale castle look adds to the holiday spirit, and the area has every Christmas item you could possibly need for the holiday season. "I visited the castle over the last few days and, despite the 300 plus stairs one must walk to get up to the castle market, it was always bustling," she said.

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Story highlights

CNN asked people to send images of Christmas celebrations where they live

iReporters sent in the best shots from as far afield as Colombia, the Philippines and China

Some of the most intriguing featured light displays, markets, parades and religious services

Christmas is synonymous with colorful decorations, festive markets and extravagant quantities of food.

But while most yuletide celebrations share these general characteristics, there are of course a host of distinctive traditions and regional variations depending on where you are in the world.

That's why CNN asked you to show us exactly how Christmas is celebrated where you live. From the Philippines to Germany to Colombia and even the Pacific island of Tonga, we received over 400 wonderfully vivid submissions.

Christmas would obviously not be Christmas without Santa Claus, or Father Christmas, or Pere Noel. Whatever the name, his popularity among children (and many adults) is perennial.

Greg Reese from Cincinnati, Ohio, sent in these images of 'Santa-Con' in his home city -- an annual event where people come dressed up as Santa Claus and tread the streets doling out candy.

Photos:Photos: Santa sightings around the world

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Santa sightings around the world – The cold water of Barcelona's Port Vell doesn't deter this swimmer dressed up as St. Nick from joining in the Copa Nadal swimming race, a traditional holiday event in the Spanish seaport, on Tuesday, December 25.

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Santa sightings around the world – A car wash worker in Santa gear washes a vehicle in Amritsar, India, on December 25.

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Santa sightings around the world – A man decked out as Santa Claus slips through the back streets of Hamburg, Germany, on Monday, December 24. Related photos: Magnum Santas

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Santa sightings around the world – A Steelers fan in a Santa outfit waves his Terrible Towel during the game between the Pittsburgh Steelers and Cincinnati Bengals on Sunday, December 23, in Pittsburgh.

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Santa sightings around the world – Members of a local yoga club perform at a public park wearing Santa Claus costumes in Hanoi, Vietnam, on December 23.

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Santa sightings around the world – Indian sand artist Sudersan Pattnaik works on a sand sculpture with more than 500 Santa Claus statues on the beach in Puri, India, on Saturday, December 22.

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Santa sightings around the world – Michael Pless, 62, catches a wave off Seal Beach, south of Los Angeles, on Friday, December 21, in California. Pless, who also runs a surfing school, has been dressing up as Santa Claus and taking to the waves in costume since the 1990s, sometimes joined by his wife, Jill, in a Mrs. Claus outfit.

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Santa sightings around the world – A militarized police helicopter leaves a Santa Claus atop a school in a shantytown, or favela, of Rio de Janeiro on Thursday, December 20. This St. Nick, dressed in the white and blue colors of Peace Police Units, handed out toys among the children in the Brazilian slum.

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Santa sightings around the world – Two Japanese Santas clean the windows of a Tokyo hotel on December 20.

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Santa sightings around the world – Santa auditions an alternative species to pull his sleigh at the Marineland park in Antibes, France, on Wednesday, December 19.

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Santa sightings around the world – Stuttgart fans don Santa hats during a German Cup match between VfB Stuttgart and 1. FC Köln on December 19 in Stuttgart, Germany.

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Santa sightings around the world – A man dressed in a Santa Claus costume poses with a sea lion at the animal exhibition park Marineland, in France, on December 19.

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Santa sightings around the world – Santa Claus walks out of the front door during a Christmas party hosted for sick children at 10 Downing Street on Monday, December 17, in London.

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Santa sightings around the world – Santa Claus opens his coat to reveal a Matt Schaub jersey at Reliant Stadium on Sunday, December 16, in Houston, Texas, before the Texas Longhorns played the Indianapolis Colts.

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Santa sightings around the world – Participants wear Santa costumes as they take part in a Santa Claus-themed race in downtown Milan, Italy, on December 16.

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Santa sightings around the world – A man dressed up as Santa Claus appears at a demonstration in Paris for the legalization of same-sex marriage on December 16.

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Santa sightings around the world – A fan stands out in his Santa Claus attire during an NFL game between the Baltimore Ravens and Denver Broncos on December 16 in Baltimore. Denver won 34-17.

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Santa sightings around the world – A girl points out toys to Santa Claus on Saturday, December 15, in a store in Lille, France.

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Santa sightings around the world – Costumed Santas crowd into a telephone booth during the Santacon pub crawl near London's Trafalgar Square on December 15.

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Santa sightings around the world – Revelers in Santa costumes sit on the lion statue at the base of Nelson's Column in London's Trafalgar Square on December 15.

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Santa sightings around the world – A member of a French anti-fur group wades into the sea during a beach protest to denounce the practice of wearing fur on December 15 in Nice, France.

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Santa sightings around the world – A man dressed as Santa Claus sees a patient in the pediatric ward of a hospital in Guatemala City, Guatemala, on Friday, December 14.

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Santa sightings around the world – A man decked out as Santa walks down Geary Street on December 14 in San Francisco.

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Santa sightings around the world – A man wearing a Santa Claus costume performs in downtown Rome on Thursday, December 13.

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Santa sightings around the world – Police check a man dressed as Santa Claus as he passes through a metal detector at the U.S. Capitol on Wednesday, December 12, in Washington.

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Santa sightings around the world – Catholics United hold a press conference with Santa Claus in front of the U.S. Capitol to rebut the GOP's budget effort in the ongoing fiscal cliff argument on December 12 in Washington.

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Santa sightings around the world – Icelandic philantropist Einar Sveinsson, dressed as Santa Claus, speaks with a patient in the oncology ward during a visit to the Benjamin Bloom National Children's Hospital in San Salvador, El Salvador, on Tuesday, December 11.

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Santa sightings around the world – A man dressed as Ded Moroz, the Russian Santa Claus, entertains children at the Ded Moroz residence in Kuzminsky Park in Moscow on Tuesday, December 11.

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Santa sightings around the world – A man dressed as Santa waits for customers in a wooden house in Rome on December 11.

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Santa sightings around the world – A diver dressed as Santa Claus poses for a photograph with children during a promotional event for the "Sardines Feeding Show with Santa Claus" at the Coex Aquarium in Seoul, South Korea, on December 11.

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Santa sightings around the world – Costumed participants of the annual "Best Father Frost" contest from different city districts make their way through a courtyard in Krasnoyarsk, Russia, on Monday, December 10.

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Santa sightings around the world – A few thousand Santa Clauses ride between Gdansk and Gdynia, Poland, on Sunday, December 9. Santa Clauses rode on scooters, motorcycles and all-terrain vehicles between the two Polish cities.

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Santa sightings around the world – Participants in the fourth annual Michendorf Santa Run, one wearing a camera on his head, gather shortly before the run on December 9 in Michendorf, Germany. More than 800 people took part in this year's races.

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Santa sightings around the world – A woman and her dog in Santa suits prepare for the annual Glasgow Santa Dash on December 9 in Glasgow, Scotland.

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Santa sightings around the world – Beachgoers carry a man wearing a Santa Claus costume on the Mediterranean coast on Saturday, December 8, in Nice, France.

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Santa sightings around the world – Takashi Inui of Frankfurt, Germany, celebrates dressed as Santa Claus after the Bundesliga match between Eintracht Frankfurt and SV Werder Bremen on December 8 in Frankfurt am Main, Germany. Eintracht won 4-1.

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Santa sightings around the world – A customer holds the door of a shopping mall for a man dressed as Santa Claus on December 8, in Berlin.

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Santa sightings around the world – Valery Kokoulin, 47, rings a bell on his yacht to mark the end of the sailboat season on Friday, December 7, on the Yenisei River outside Krasnoyarsk, Russia. Temperatures in the Siberian city dipped to minus 9.4 degrees Fahrenheit.

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Santa sightings around the world – Kokoulin stands aboard his yacht on December 7.

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Santa sightings around the world – President Barack Obama greets Santa Claus with actors Neil Patrick Harris, Rico Rodriguez and musician Phillip Phillips during the 90th National Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony at the White House on Thursday, December 6, in Washington, D.C.

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Santa sightings around the world – A diver dressed as a Santa Claus dives with a nurse shark in the Sea Life Aquarium in Munich, Germany, on December 6, which is St. Nicholas Day.

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Santa sightings around the world – Around 400 people dressed as Santa Claus arrive by train in Frankfurt am Main, Germany, on December 6.

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Santa sightings around the world – A man dressed as a Santa Claus waves at the port in Hamburg, Germany, on December 6.

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Santa sightings around the world – People in Santa Claus outfits imitate South Korean rapper Psy's famous "Gangnam Style" dance outside offices in Seoul, South Korea, on Wednesday, December 5. The dance marked the start of a charity mission to hand out gifts to children.

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Santa sightings around the world – A man dressed as Santa Claus stands at The Paley Center for Media on December 5 in Beverly Hills, California.

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Santa sightings around the world – Santa descends on a rope during Christmas Box Launch at Wellington Arch in London's Hyde Park on Tuesday, December 4.

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Santa sightings around the world – Santa Claus, aka Tim Connaghan, sits in the audience while a Marine stands guard during a presentation at Ronald Reagan National Airport on Monday, December 3, as part of the Marines' Toys for Tots program. Thousand of donated toys are set to be delivered to families affected by Hurricane Sandy.

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Santa sightings around the world – A spectator dressed as Santa Claus and wearing an Australian green cap watches the South African team walk out onto the field at a cricket match against Australia on December 3.

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Santa sightings around the world – Runners dressed in Father Christmas costumes take part in the annual 5-kilometer Santa Dash in Liverpool, England, on Sunday, December 2. Many runners who refuse to run in red, the color of their football rivals Liverpool FC, wear blue to support the football team Everton FC.

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Santa sightings around the world – A fan of the Baylor University Bears dresses up as Santa Claus while the Bears face the Oklahoma State University Cowboys on Saturday, December 1, in Waco, Texas.

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Santa sightings around the world – Competitors run in the annual 6-kilometer Santa Run in Battersea Park, London, on December 1.

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Santa sightings around the world – A man dressed as Santa leaves the the annual meeting of volunteer Santa Clauses and angels on December 1 in Berlin. Studentenwerk Berlin, a student organization at the German capital's technical university, hosts a general meeting for guidelines on participating in this year's events during the festive season.

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Santa sightings around the world – Angels and Santa Clauses gather for the annual meeting on December 1 in Berlin.

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Santa sightings around the world – A man dressed as Santa Claus attends Berlin's meeting of volunteer Santa Clauses and angels on December 1 in Berlin.

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Santa sightings around the world – Men dressed as Santa Claus carry sacks through the meeting of volunteer Santa Clauses and angels on December 1 in Berlin.

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Santa sightings around the world – A volunteer Santa Claus takes a nap during the general meeting outlining guidelines for Father Christmases in Berlin on December 1.

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Santa sightings around the world – Volunteers in New York's 110th annual Sidewalk Santa Parade cross the street on Friday, November 23.

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Santa sightings around the world – A diver wearing a Santa Claus costume feeds a sunfish during a Christmas show at the Hakkeijima Sea Paradise Aquarium in Yokohama, Japan, on Wednesday, November 21. The show will be held daily until Christmas Day.

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Santa sightings around the world – Estonian Santa Claus "Santa Aare," from left, Dutch Santa Claus "Santa Holland" and Swedish Santa Claus "Snaretomten" compete in the Kicksled Sack Race during the Santa Claus Winter Games in Gallivare, Sweden, on Saturday, November 17. Santas from around the world gathered to participate in Christmas-themed competitions that weekend.

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Santa sightings around the world – Santas from various countries compete in the porridge-eating contest during the Santa Claus Winter Games in Gallivare on November 17.

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Santa sightings around the world – A Santa Claus representing the indigenous Sami people competes in the reindeer ride event during the Santa Claus Winter Games in Gallivare on November 17.

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Santa sightings around the world – Japanese Santa Claus "Santa Paradise Yamamoto" hits the ground in the reindeer ride event during the competition in Gallivare on November 17. Related photos: Magnum Santas

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Santa HQ – If meeting Santa is on your Christmas to-do-list then a trip to Rovaniemi in Finland is a must. The village in Lapland, located just north of the Arctic Circle, has become known as the Christmas HQ -- where kids and adults can make gingerbread cookies with Mrs. Claus or enroll in Elf School.

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Dasher, Dancer, Prancer...and Rudolph – Other attractions in the very north of Finland include the Ranua Zoo, home to baby polar bears, wolverines, and moose and the Sirmakko reindeer farm, where visitors can take a sled-led reindeer safari.

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Ice, ice baby – Across the border over in north Sweden is the now-infamous Ice Hotel -- where visitors sleep on a bed made from blocks of frozen ice.

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Strolling in Strasbourg – Every year Strasbourg creates a series of themed Christmas villages. With plenty of mulled Alsatian wines, fine food and book markets the city is turned into a visual and gastronomic wonderland.

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Quebec: Christmas with an eco twist – A haven for environmentally friendly, outdoor enthusiasts, Quebec is a city that bustles with activity. If you're the type of person who likes to celebrate Christmas around a tree made from recycled sheet metal, with lights powered by the pedaling of nearby cyclists, then Quebec is your destination.

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Old-world charm in the New World – Quebec's French Quarters offer modern-day Victorians candle-lit evening of stories from Charles Dickens, detailing the Christmas traditions of yore.

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Piñatas, ponche and pilgrimages – In the colorful Mexican city of San Miguel de Allende, Christmas is both a solemn and a celebratory affair. The locals make pilgrimages from home to home begging for shelter as they re-enact the journey to Bethlehem. But there is also plenty of party, ponche - a mulled fruit drink - and piñatas.

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Brooklyn sights – The Dyker Heights neighborhood in Brooklyn, New York is famous for its ostentatious Christmas decorations and light displays. Neighbors try and out-do each other with holiday decorations.

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Ethiopia's monolithic churches – Dating as far back as the 12th century and carved out of striking red-color blocks of volcanic rock these churches, situated roughly 200 miles north of Addis Ababa, are a sacred place of pilgrimage for those wanting to celebrate the Coptic Christmas on January 7.

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Meeting kings in Barcelona – If you can manage to extend your Christmas holiday until Three King's Day on January 6, there is no better place to catch up with Melchior, Gaspar and Balthasar than Barcelona where parades, floats and fireworks light up the town for huge post-December 25 street party.

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Never ending Christmas – Known as the country with "the longest Christmas season in the world," Filipinos get the Christmas festivities rolling in September, and extend them well through January. The country's cities and islands are festooned with nativities, lantern parades, and Christmas bazaars.

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Christmas down under – Sun-lovers who would prefer to meet santa in swimwear rather than thermals should head down to Queenstown. The New Zealand summer means you can enjoy all the adventures that the South Island has to offer without getting a frostbite or simply enjoy a hearty Christmas meal of lamb, seafood, and chicken on the barbie.

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Photos:Christmas lights around the world

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Naples, Florida – A reflection of Christmas in Florida.

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London, UK – The Christmas tree stands proud at Westminster Abbey.

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Vienna, Austria – A relatively understated series of Christmas lights in front of the Belvedere Palace in Vienna.

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Medellin, Colombia – An unusal array of Christmas lights envelop a truck in the city of Medellin, Colombia.

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"It's essentially a gathering of like-minded individuals who wish to both get into the Christmas spirit, as well as spread Christmas cheer to their fellow man," said Reese.

Thousands of miles away, the Philippines hosts some of the most lavish Christmas celebrations in the world -- starting in September and ending in January. They also have some of the most colorful and fascinating traditions around the holiday.

Nathaniel Molines from San Pedro in Laguna province, the Philippines, sent in these beautiful images of parols -- lanterns made traditionally from bamboo and paper used to light the way to church for worshipers living in darkened rural areas.

"This is a simple decoration that tells us that Christmas is in every corner, love is in the air," he said. "I took the picture because it reminds me the value of celebrating Christmas here in the Philippines."

Lights of a similar design were spotted thousands of miles away in Shanghai, China, by Dutch expat Irene Reijs, who captured a beautiful image of a delivery man doggedly trundling along on his bike with his wares crammed into a delivery box.

"This photo for me represents Shanghai. Everything you can imagine is being delivered by these men and women on their bikes," she said.

"I was walking down the street with my camera and saw a golden shimmer at the end of the street. Then I saw this man and his bike... It made my day."

Christmas in warmer locals can bring its challenges when it comes to at least one major decorative theme -- snow.

In Barranquilla, Colombia, Canadian expat Sara Tatham captured images of some creative craftwork using white felt to ensure that at least the look of decorations at the Colegio Britanico Internacional (British International School) where she works was festive, even if the temperature was not.

"I love living in the tropics, but at this time of year I really miss seeing the lights and snow, and seeing the hustle and bustle as people buy their gifts."

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Others break with convention entirely in their Christmas decorations, such as in Cape Cod in the eastern U.S. state of Massachusetts, where photographer Marie Sager spotted a tree built with lobster cages, decorated with plastic seashells and topped with other nautical items.

"This was the most unusual tree I had ever seen," she said. "It's perfect for a town by the sea."